Vehicle-coupling.



0. JOHNSON.-

VEHICLE COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED Aue.26. I914.

Patented J une 20, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

17? uanw Tm: copbmam PLANOGRAPH C0" WASHINGTON. D. C.

0. JOHNSON.

VEHICLE COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-26. m4.

' Patented June 20, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

THE cownsm PLANOGRAPH 50., wAsmNuTbN. n. c.

VEHICLE-COUPLING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 29, 1916.

Application filed August 26, 1914. Serial No. 858,600.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OsoAR JOHNSON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Vehicle-Couplings, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates particularly to means for coupling a tender to alocomotive engine. The means ordinarily employed for this purposeconsists of a draw-bar having openings to receive pins carried by theengine and the tender. Owing to the swaying and rocking movements of theengine and the tender, the ends of the openings in the draw-bar becomeenlarged and flaring so that the bearing surface of the drawbar upon thepins becomes greatly reduced, thereby seriously weakening the coupling.

In Patent No. 1,065,688 granted to me on June 21, 1913, is shown alocomotive coupling comprising a cable suitably arranged upon sheaveswith means for taking up slack in the cable and holding the chafingplates or bumpers together at all times. The construction shown in saidpatent does not, however, prevent reduction of the bearing surface bywear due to the rolling and rocking movements of the engine and thetender.

The principal object of this invention is to provide means for socoupling together the engine and the tender that relative movement ofthe engine and the tender shall not cause reduction of the bearingsurfaces.

Another object of the invention is to provide convenient means fortaking up slack in the coupling.

Another object is to provide a locomotive coupling having means forcushioning the shock caused by the jerks of the engine when starting thetrain.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved means forinsuring that the engine and the tender shall remain coupled together incase of failure of the be fore mentioned coupling means.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan view of one form ofconstruction embodying the features of my invention. Fig. 2 is a sideelevation. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken in the plane ofdotted line 33 of Fig. 1. Fig. a is a similar view on dotted line t4 ofFig. 1. Fig, 5 is a view taken in the 91am of d line 55 of Fig. 3. Fig.6 is a detail view of one of the adjustable connectors. Fig. 7 1s asection on line 77 of Fig. 6.

In the embodiment herein shown of my inventlon, the coupling comprises abracket 1 adapted to be rigidly secured to the frame of a locomotive anda bracket 2 adapted to be rigidly secured to the'frame of the tender.These brackets may be of any suitable construction.

3 is apivot pin extending through vertlcally alined openings 4, 5 and 6in the bracket 1, said pivot pin being provided at lts upper end with ahead 8 which rests upon a suitable surface formed upon the bracket 1.Rotatably mounted upon the pivot pin 3 is a sheave or grooved pulley 7The bracket 2 is provided with a pivot pm 8 which extends throughvertically al ned openings 9, 10 and 11 in the bracket, said pin havinga head 8 upon its lower end. The pin 8 is prevented from dropping out ofthe openings 9, 10 and 11 by any suitable means, such as a plate 12'underlying the bracket 8 and detachably secured to the bracket by meansof screws 13. Rotatably mounted upon the pin 8 between the bearingopenings 9 and 10 are two sheaves or grooved pulleys 14 and 15. Saidsheaves are held against tilting or rocking on the pin in a verti'calplane by suitable means, such as the webs 2 of the bracket 2. i

A cable 16 extends about the sheaves 7, 14 and 15, the ends of saidcable being attached to, adjustableconnectors of suitable character, as,for example, that shown in Fig. 6. In the construction shown in saidview, eachend of the cable is rigidly secured in any ordinary orpreferred manner to one end of a rod 17. Said rod is screwthreaded forengagement with the internally screw-threaded portion 18 of a sleeve 19.Relative rotation of the rod 17 and the, sleeve 19 is prevented by meansof set screws 20 extending through threaded openings 21 in a cap 22,said cap fitting upon one end of the sleeve 19. The screws 20 alsoextend through screw-threaded openings 23 in the sleeve 19 and bear uponflattened surfaces 24 on the rod 17. The caps 22 are made polygonal forengagement by a wrench.

In orderto cushion the shockdue to jerks of the engine when starting thetrain, suitable means may be provided such as a yoke 25 having a stem.26, said. stem being bifurcated to heat opposite sides of the sheave 7.The bifurcation is provided with circular openings 27through which thepin 3 extends. The bifurcated stem 26 prevents thesheave 7 fromtiltingor rocking in a vertical plane on the pin 3.

' of said spring beingconfinedby stop lugs- 30, on the yoke. Thesleeves'19extendfreely through openings 3l and 32 in the yoke and thespring 29, respectively. The sleeves .19} are provided with polygonalheads 33 which bear against the ends of the spring 29; The strength ofthe spring 29 is substantially greater than the tractive force 7 of thelocomotive, so that the springdoes not yield. except when there is asudden jerk, or when the distance between pin centers is increased as inrounding a curve in the track. 3

In operation, the traction of the engine is exerted through the cable16. Relative movement between the engine and the tender due to theswaying or rocking of'either 'is freely permitted by the flexible-cable16.

- Such relative movement cannot cause tilting reduce the area of thebearing surfaces of the sheaves 7, 14 and 15 in a vertical plane uponthe pins 3, and 8, and'hencethere is no tendency to enlarge the ends. ofthe axial openings in said sheaves, and thus uponthe pins '3 and 8. V

Slackin hefcable 16 may taken up by-first-,.unscrewing the set-screws 20far; 7 enough to permit rotation of the sleeves 19" upon the rods 17,but not far enough: to

withdraw the. screws .20 fromthefsleevs 1.9,. a; wrench being appliedtothe polygonal surface of the caps 22, and the sleeves 19' being'turneduntilthe'cable16 is taut and the bumpers or chafinglplates a and b onthe engine and tender are in contact' with each others 7 The caps 22amreadily accessible to the enginemen. The heads 33, however, cannotalways be easily reached, but when acces sible, they may in the cable'16. V

' So-called safety chains are ordinarily used, in addition to thecommondraw-bar, V to prevent separation of the engine and the tender in caseof'failure of the draw-bar.

In place of such safety chains I provide av cable13 l extendingabout agrooved pulley 7 or sheave 35v ,which is rotatably'mouiited upon thepivot pin 3. -The webs 1 of the I bracket 1 preventthe sheave 35 fromrock- :ing in a vertical plane on the pin 3. Preferably areinforcement36 is placed upon.

that portion ofthe cable 34: which extends 'aboutothe pulley 35. ,Theends of the cable 34: are lapped around groovedroll'e'rs 37:

and securedby any suitable means such; as clips 38. The rollers37' aremounted upon Secured to V I the yoke 25, asby means of a screw 28,1s aspring 29 of suitable character, the ends be used to take up slack Ymentioned coupling element.

a horizontal shaft 39 which is carried by a stem 40. Said stem has acircular opening ll through which the pin 8 extends freely.

It will be seen that the'construction herein disclosed provides meansfor coupling together the engine and tender without any "slack in thecoupling, althoughproviding against injuriousshock due to jerking of theengine, and allowing for the increase inthe distance between pin centerscaused in traversing curves.

The relative movement between the engine and the tender necessitates acoupling capable of yielding universally, that is to say, bothhorizontally and vertically. prevent'reduction of the extent of bearingsurface on the pins 3 and 8 by permitting only horizontal yieldingmovement at the pins, the vertical y elding movement being takenonthelsecond mentionedcoupling element, a

yoke movably connected to one of said .coupling' elements in al nementwith said elements, and a cable extending around sa d The be substitutedfor the sheaves and'ha-ving both of its ends adjustably connected-to theyoke. 2.1m a vehicle coupling, a coupling ele :ment adapted to besecuredto'a vehicle, an-

othen coupling element adapted to besecured to another vehicle, a sheaveon the first mentioned coupling element, two sheaves on the secondmentioned coupling element, and

a cable extending aroundsaid sheaves and" having both of itsendsconnected to the first 3. In a locomotive coupling, a, coupling element,a yoke hav ng a rearwardly extend ing stein movably' connected to. saidrcourearwardly extending coupling means bear mg against saidtsprin'gmeans. 7

4. In a vehicle coupling, a coupl ng ele ment adapted to be secured to'oneyehicle, a i

coup'lingelementadapted to be secured to; another vehicle, a wheelpivotally mounted upon each of said coupling elements; a cable. H

extending'around said wheels, and "means for connecting the ends of: thecable to *one :of ca d coupling elements,said means complin'g element,spring means carried by said if yoke at the forward sideofthelatter,'and

pris ng a 'screw-threadedlrod connected to 1:0;

the cable, an internally threaded sleeve into which the threaded rodextends, a connection between said sleeve and the last mentionedcoupling element permitting rotation of the sleeve, and means on thesleeve to enable rotation thereof.

5. In a vehicle coupling, a coupling element adapted to be secured toone vehicle, a coupling element adapted to be secured to anothervehicle, a wheel pivotally mounted upon each of said coupling elements,a cable extending around said wheels, and means for connecting the endsof the cable to one of said coupling elements, said means comprising ascrew-threaded rod connected to the cable, an internally threaded sleeveinto which the threaded rod extends, a part connected to the lastmentioned coupling element, said part having an opening through whichthe sleeve extends rotatably, a head on one end of said sleeve bearingagainst said part, and wrench-receiving means on the other end of saidsleeve.

6. In a locomotive coupling, a bracket, an,

element attached to said bracket, a longitudinally extending sleevepassing rotatably through an opening in said element, a toolreceivinghead on the forward end of said sleeve, a tool-receiving part on therear end of said sleeve, a rod extending into said sleeve and having ascrew-thread connection with the sleeve, and vehicle-connecting meansattached to the rear end of saidrod.

7 In a locomotive coupling, a bracket, a sleeve connected to thebracket, a rod extending into said sleeve and having a screwthreadconnection with the sleeve, a wrenchreceiving element mounted on therear portion of the sleeve, a screw extending through the element andthe sleeve and adapted to bear against thev rod, and vehicle-connectingmeans attached to the rod.

8. In a locomotive coupler, a bracket adapted to be secured to anengine, a bracket adapted to be secured to a tender, a pivot pin carriedby each of said brackets, an element mounted upon each of said pins,said element having a cylindrical opening through which the pin extends,and flexible means connecting said elements whereby a full bearing ofsaid elements upon said pins is maintained.

9. In a locomotive coupling, a bracket adapted to be secured to theengine, a bracket adapted to be secured to the tender, cushion springmeans carried by one of said brackets, and flexible means extending between said spring means and the other bracket.

10. In a locomotive coupling, two brackets adapted to be rigidly securedto the engine and the tender, one of said brackets having openingstherein, a pin mounted in said openings, an element having a circularopening through which the p1n extends, means to prevent movement of theelement save in a plane at right angles to the axis of the pin, and aflexible connection between said element and the other bracket.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto set my hand in the presence of twowitnesses.

OSCAR JOHNSON.

In the presence of C. PAUL PARKER, MARGARET H. MANN.

copies of thin patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe "Commissioner of Eaten, Wamhington, D. 0.

